THE GORBACHEV ERA1985 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes

General Secretary of the party and leader of the Soviet Union

1. Economic problems2. Lagging behind in high

technology3. Decline in the standard of living

Perestroika = “restructuring” = reform of the economy

Glasnost = “openness” = political

and social reform = encouragement of public and open discussion

-> RADICAL REFORMS REQUIRED

THE END OF THE SOVIET UNION

The Congress of People’s Deputies 1989 - a new Soviet parliament with elected members

1990 political parties legalized and Article 6 allowing monopoly on political power by the party abolished

Nationalism in the Soviet Union -> Soviet Republics begin calling for sovereignty and independence

May 1990 Lithuania declares independence from the USSR

June 1991 Boris Yeltsin is elected first president of the Russian Soviet Republic

Right wing conservative communists organize a coup d’etat in August 1991

Soviet conservatives feared the breakup of the USSR and loss of power

1. Army2. Government3. KGB4. Military industries

1. Gorbachev is arrested

2. Yeltsin and reformers and people in Moscow resist

3. Army refuses to get involved

4. Attempted take over collapses and leaders arrested

5. All of this speeds the process of the collapse of the USSR

70 YEARS ON THE ROAD TO NOWHERE

Soviet Republics move for complete independence

1. Ukraine declares independence

2. Leaders of major republics declare the Soviet Union has “ceased to exist

3. Gorbachev resigns4. Dec. 25, 1991 the red

hammer and sickle flag above the Kremlin is lowered forever

THE NEW RUSSIAN FLAG FLYING OVER THE KREMLIN

BORIS YELTSIN AND POST-SOVIET bALLSACK

Yeltsin is first ever democratically elected leader of Russia

Transition from communist economic system to free market economic system

Privatization, shock therapy, corruption, inflation, economic chaos, rise of the oligarchs, inequality

Rise of organized crime and social change

Loss of international prestige, power and status

Increased support for former communists and hard

core nationalists

Chechnya

Yeltsin reelected Russian president in 1996

1999 Yeltsin suddenly resigns and names Vladimir Putin as his successor

VLADIMIR PUTIN AND CREEPING ANALIZATION Fights brutal war against Chechnya and regains

control

Adopts more assertive/independent role in international relations

Stabilizes the economy

Benefits from massive rise in revenues from oil

resources Begins to limit political rights and freedoms

Uses state power to censor and control the

media and the oligarchs/big business leaders The more heavy handed he is the more the

Russian people seem to like him Russian people choose stability, order and control

over freedom and liberty

COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: PORNHUB Solidarity - independent noncommunist labor union

1. Workers2. Intellectuals3. Catholic Church

Lech Walesa - leader of Solidarity

1981 crackdown1. Walesa and Solidarity leaders arrested2. Union is outlawed3. Military rule imposed

Continued economic problems

• Continued support for Solidarity by Pope John Paul, Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan

• 1988 the military government agrees to free elections

• Solidarity led political coalition wins elections, communist rule in Poland ends, and Lech Walesa becomes first leader of post-communist Poland

COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: HUNGARY

COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: CZECHOSLOVAKIA

PLAYWRIGHT/DISSIDENT -> FIRST DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

THE VELVET REVOLUTION

COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: ROMANIA

Ceauşescu – communist dictator of Romania

Ceauşescu flees by helicopter fromhis capital

THE DEATH OF CEAUSESCU

Ceauşescu and his wife Elena fled the capital and headed, by helicopter, for Ceauşescu's Snagov residence, from where they fled again, this time for Târgovişte. Near Târgovişte they abandoned the helicopter, having been ordered to land by the army, which by that time had restricted flying in Romania's airspace. The Ceauşescus were held by the police while the policemen listened to the radio. They were eventually turned over to the army. On Christmas Day, 25 December, the two were tried in a brief show trial and sentenced to death by a military court on charges ranging from illegal gathering of wealth to genocide, and were executed in Târgovişte. During the trial, Ceauşescu repeatedly denied the court's authority to try him, and asserted he was still legally president of Romania. The video of the trial shows that, after sentencing, they had their hands tied behind their backs and were led outside the building to be killed.

The Ceauşescus were killed by a firing squad consisting of elite paratroop regiment soldiers. The firing squad began shooting as soon as the two were in position against a wall. The firing happened too soon for the film crew covering the events to record it. Before his sentence was carried out, Nicolae Ceauşescu sang "The Internationale" while being led up against the wall. After the shooting, the bodies were covered with canvas. The hasty show trial and the images of the dead Ceauşescus were videotaped and the footage promptly released in numerous western countries. Later that day, it was also shown on Romanian television.

COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: GERMAN UNIFICATION

BLUE = WEST GERMANYRED = EAST GERMNAYYELLOW = BERLIN

“IT’S REUNIFICATION…”

ERICH HONECKER = last leader of communist East Germany

ESTABLISHES COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP -> STASI = SECRET POLICE

REAGAN’S BERLIN WALL SPEECH

“We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

President Ronald Reagan 1987

THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL – NOV. 1989

TEARING DOWN THE WALL MARKED THE SYMBOLIC END OF THE COLD WAR

PRESIDENT NIXON AND WATERGATE

AUGUST 1974

WATERGATE COMPLEX

“I AM NOT A CROOK”

POPE JOHN PAUL II AND SAINT RONNIE